A New BOSS Comes to Town
Hello,
We have all had a new boss in our life. This is an announcement concerning a different sort of BOSS. We here at Semaphore are excited to let you know more about our Business Operations/Strategy Service and the addition of David Friend, M.D., MBA as part of our advisory team. Let us know how we can help – and say “hello Friend”.
Every now and then it’s healthy to get a new boss - someone who can lead a previously moribund operation. A person not weighted down with institutional memory and tired culture. A person who can not only articulate a vision but is not freighted with excuses as to why a goal has not and cannot be reached. Rather a person who understands and has the skills to get you across the success line. Such success can only be achieved with the insights of senior, knowledgeable and committed leadership. Success is determined by process and the unique skills of the person leading the effort.
That is why Semaphore’s Business Operation/Strategy Service (BOSS) is expanding. “We are thrilled to announce that David Friend, MD, MBA is joining our advisory team,” announced Semaphore CEO Mark S. DiSalvo. “David brings years of sterling hands-on and real-world practitioner skills to our already robust practice assisting companies and funds in our strategic/operational business advisory practice,” he noted.
“Joining Semaphore’s Team allows me to bring diagnostic, operational and mentoring skills earned by decades of turning around troubled entities and accelerating success in working but stagnant companies,” noted Dr. Friend. “As a trained physician and experienced turn-around CEO I can assure, along with my Semaphore colleagues, true and real change management in tying strategic clarity to sustained operational success, “ promised the long time work-out executive.
The Semaphore BOSS practice provides senior resources to assess recommend and mentor technology companies in the “Zone of Irrelevance “(ZOI).
Dr. Friend has most recently served as CEO of The Palladium Group providing global strategy education and consultancy to world-class entities from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America. He previously worked as a turnaround executive with Alverez and Marsal as Managing Director of Healthcare Restructuring and Watson Wyatt Worldwide as Division Chief Executive where he helped guide the business through its successful IPO. He was also COO at High Voltage Engineering and serves on a variety of boards and advisory committees as a qualified Audit Committee Chair.
The BOSS program augments the well known Semaphore Technology Diligence and Market Diligence Practices that offer investors and companies independent verification and validation of products, systems and markets. Crispin Miller, Technology and Market Practice Leader said “we are excited to have David join our advisory practice team offering vital resources to PE portfolios, owner-run companies and other private, public or non-profit institutions.”
The BOSS practice will focus on companies that have entered the “Zone of Irrelevance” (ZOI). These are typically companies who have launched, have customers and revenue but have plateaued.
For many companies hitting this plateau after initial revenue means death. The ZOI is an all too frequent malady and a difficult thing to avoid. Very few venture backed companies reach their potential when they fall into the ZOI. These are the companies who generally have revenue of under $5 million and have not figured out how to get to $20m+ (or companies in the $10m range trying to get to $50m). Companies challenged by ZOI may have a variety of problems that are directly addressed by a combination of strategic thinking and tactical action. “At this point employing BOSS affords the prospect of fulfilling the founder’s dreams and an investor’s expectation,” said Dr. Friend.
The BOSS practice provides senior resources to assess, recommend, mentor and/or pitch in with hands-on expertise with companies in the ZOI. The key points addressed are the ability to link strategy, operations, finance, people and revenue attainment.
David B. Friend, MD, MBA, Business Operations/Strategy Service Practice, can be reached at 781- 296 -6300, Dfriendmd@sema4usa.com.
Crispin Miller is the head of the Diligence Practice (cmiller@sema4usa.com) at Sema4 Inc., dba Semaphore (www.sema4usa.com), a leading global professional services provider of Technology and Marketing diligence, and Private Equity funds-under-management services. The Semaphore Business Operations/Strategy Service (BOSS) complements both of its other advisory practices. Semaphore currently holds fiduciary obligations as General Partner for seven Private Equity and Venture Capital funds, a New Markets Tax Credit lender and advises General and Limited Partners as well as corporations around the world. Semaphore’s corporate offices are in Boston with principal offices in New York and London.